Yinchuan - "Ahlan wa Sahlan (welcome)," Aisha with a friendly welcome. Then women hooded pink 'blurted out' in Arabic.
Ayesha was not an Arab, but a citizen of the ethnic Hui Chinese. Ethnicity is one of the 56 ethnic groups in China, which is categorized as a minority. Ethnic Hui Muslims, including Aisha.
China has an area of 9.5 million square meters and is the third largest country in the world, after Russia and Canada. According to the 2010 census, the population of 1.34 billion, consisting of 56 tribes, the largest ethnic Han. Well, that much of the population, 20 million of whom are Muslim Hui ethnic majority embraced.
In addition to having 23 provinces, the country also has a giant 5 autonomous regions, namely Xinjiang has a population of ethnic minorities, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi and Ningxia Hui.
Indonesian Muslims, Ningxia Hui - China's largest area inhabited by ethnic Hui - certainly feels has its own emotional bond. Because 34 percent of the 6.32 million citizens are Muslim autonomous region. Autonomous regional government the right to regulate based on the customs of the ethnic minorities.
"Ningxia called Muslim provinces in China," said Haji Yusuf Suyang, Rector of the College of Islamic Ningxia, when received by AFP reporters, Kompas, The Jakarta Post, LKBN Between and TVRI, at its campus in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxian, Friday (16/3 / 2012). The visit was facilitated by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in order to welcome the arrival of the President on March 22 to 24 next.
Well, Aisha is the Arabic teacher at the school. As teachers at the school, he expertly Arabic, but could not speak English.
Islamic High School was built in 1985 and currently has 400 students studying Qur'an, Hadith, Arabic, Islamic history, the history of Hui, Chinese history, economics, law, etc..
Everything is a man and live in a dorm like a boarding school. They only have to pay tuition for 4-year study, while the school paid accommodation. Schools also provide 100 percent scholarships to 200 imams to study in situ.
China's ruling Communist Party recognizes five religions: Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Taoism and Buddhism. "Since China established, Muslim interests are protected and are included in the Constitution. Though China's non-Muslim country, but Muslims protected the interests of local and central government," said Haji Yusuf Suyang.
His school is under the central government but managed by the local government. The school was also supported by a world Islamic organizations, such as the Islamic Development Bank.
Schools in charge of printing Muslim leaders to build another Muslim. "Graduates of this school will be assigned in various mosques," he said.
Central and local government periodically poured funds to the school, including hiring teachers and staff. The school also works closely with foreign educational institutions, such as Egypt and Malaysia. "The cooperation with Indonesia does not exist," he said.
The school only accepts male students, whereas when there are women who are interested in studying Islam, then it could continue to Ningxia University with majors Islam. "Two of my sisters are also studying there," said Haji Yusuf Suyang.
Local Muslims, he said, has a Muslim name other than the name of China. Islam is the name typically given by the imam of the newborn. For example Suyang who got the name of Islam, Yusuf. Placed in front of the name of Islam, then spliced the Chinese name.
Related to the growth of Muslims in Ningxia, Joseph Suyang tell, when the PRC was established in 1949, the number of Ningxia residents 750 thousand people and 400 thousand of whom are Muslims. When the Ningxia Hui autonomous region in a 1958 population to 1.5 million. Now, the population of 6.3 million and 2.2 among Muslims (34%). "So adherents rose 3-fold," he said.
Joseph Suyang also invited reporters into a middle class by using the language of instruction to learn Arabic. The professor then asked one student show of skill by reading a book in Arabic. Other students were told to read the Koran. They read fluently.
Deputy Director General for Foreign Relations Ningxia Hui, Zhang Yexing, in a separate place, stating, as an ethnic minority autonomous region, Ningxia Hui has a policy that must be adapted to the customs and culture of the ethnic minorities, in this case the Muslim Hui ethnic.
"In China, 9 percent of the population are ethnic minorities (ethnic Han rest). Though only 9 percent, but it was pretty big because China has a large population. Attention to the harmony of the Chinese government. Ethnic minorities actually enjoy more favorable policies than the ethnic Han," he explained.
Officials in the autonomous region, have come from the ethnic minorities. For example, Chairman Ningxua Hui Autonomous Region (equivalent to governor), are Muslims. Similarly, the Mayor of Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui, also a Muslim.
Region covering an area of 66 400 square meters has a long winter is 6 months. Eve coldest in January range from minus 10 degrees Celsius and 24 degrees Celsius hot. Despite the cold, dry wind was carrying the dust from the desert.
"We have 4,000 mosques. So if Indonesian Muslims here, please pray freely," Zhang legislation smile.
Hmm .... seems Ningxia Hui Muslims fit into your travel destination in the upcoming holiday.
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